This project has been in the planning stages since late 2024 and is part of a series of investments by the business during 2025 and onwards to continuously improve site operations across the entirety of Seras’ business. In 2025 a total of £6 million has been invested in site operations across the UK.
Alan Whitrow, Operations Director at Seras said, “This is a huge investment from our owners, Pioneer Point Partners, which confirms our commitment to drive improvements, efficiencies and safety across our site operations.”
This project was driven by both safety and compliance aspects at the Widnes site. Site safety and the comfort of site operatives is a key priority for Seras and part of the sustainability and ESG policy standards that the business works to, so it was important to address the issues at the Widnes site as soon as possible.
After handover of the newly completed yard, Seras are delighted with the results. Alan adds, “The team have dealt with the disruptions to our yard operations very professionally over the last year, but not anymore! Now we have a yard that showcases our commitment to running a first-class site that operates at optimal efficiency.
Ultimately, this key investment ensures our fuel quality remains high and the Widnes operation can run smoother, as it continues to operate safely and efficiently. With less downtime and disruption to operations the team can focus on our productivity and planning for the future.”
Building partnerships to deal with the Widnes yard issues.
After putting the project out to tender, Seras partnered with Avidrail to investigate solutions to their site issues. This process began in late 2024 and has taken several months due to the complex nature of a project of this size and scale.
Aaron Whitrow, Head of Site operations at Seras explains, “The project has moved rapidly from start to finish. At all stages in the process, we’ve found Avidrail to be quick and efficient, with few onsite issues arising during the build phase. Their attention to detail and level of organisation has been impressive. George Smith our project manager and the entire Avidrail team have been incredible to work with.”
Aaron adds, “Avidrail have worked closely with our team to navigate this project to the finish line. They’ve been a fantastic company to partner with.”
What are the Widnes Yard improvements
Following investment the following improvements have been achieved:
- Design wise, the yard has been planned to bring greater efficiencies, improving the driving experience for operatives.
- Increased storage area.
- Improved access for pedestrians and vehicles and general site safety due to drainage with gradients designed for efficient water run-off.
- Thicker concrete to withstand the elements and heavy equipment better – providing more resilience at our processing site for our customers.
- The sloped design means quicker and easier drop off and collection of waste wood from wood piles.
- An improved driving experience for LGV drivers entering the site to drop off or collect waste wood.
- Generally, the yard can now operate at its maximum capacity, with more efficient traffic management in operation.
- Across the site drainage is better and will not be impacted by the location of the wood piles.
- Improved wastewater and surface water drainage controls. improving site efficiency and keeping watercourses clear of debris. This meets our Environment Agency permit requirements for keeping site wastewater clear of site material.
Alan concludes, “The team are very proud of all that we have achieved here. The project has been well managed and run efficiently, professionally and to tight timescales and I’d like to thank them for their hard work. It’s good for everyone to see the improvements made and to understand that our business is focused on growth. We really are investing in and fuelling the future.”
